Abu dhabi: President Lee Jae Myung arrived in Abu Dhabi on Monday for a three-day visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), marking the first stop of his four-nation tour of the Middle East and Africa. Lee's presidential plane was ceremonially escorted by four UAE Air Force fighter jets -- two F16s and two Mirage 2000s -- as it entered the country's airspace, an honor conducted by the presidential office to recognize Lee's state visit.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, a non-executive board member of First Abu Dhabi Bank and a member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, welcomed Lee at the airport. On the first day, Lee is scheduled to visit the mausoleum of the UAE's founding president, Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and meet with Korean residents.

On Tuesday, President Lee will engage in summit talks with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. During these talks, both leaders are expected to sign memorandums of understanding to enhance cooperation in fields such as artificial intelligence and the defense industry.

The visit will also include a business roundtable on the following day, aimed at discussing ways to bolster cooperation between the business communities of both countries. High-profile figures such as Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hanwha Group Vice Chairman Kim Dong-kwan are reportedly expected to participate.

Additionally, Lee plans to visit the Akh Unit, a Korean military contingent in the UAE, to offer encouragement to the troops. This visit to the UAE is the beginning of Lee's 10-day, four-nation trip, which will also take him to South Africa for the Group of 20 summit, along with stops in Egypt and Turkey. This marks Lee's first visit to the Middle East since taking office in June, with the UAE being the only Middle Eastern nation that has established a special strategic partnership with South Korea.